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Friday, 1 September 2017

BOLLORE : First half 2017 Results

Full consolidation of Vivendi Group from April 26, 2017 and Sale to Vivendi of the Bolloré Group's 59.2% stake in Havas for 2,317 million euros completed on July 3, 2017 to build a leading world-class communication, content and media group

Results of 1st half of 2017

Consolidated turnover: 7,056 million euros, up 42%, including 1,909 million euros resulting from the full consolidation of Vivendi over two months (+5% at constant scope and exchange rates)

Operating income: 443 million euros, up 45%, including 189 million euros resulting from the full consolidation of Vivendi over two months

Net income, Group share: 333 million euros, down 3% in the absence of a dividend from Vivendi following its consolidation

Interim dividend: 0.02 euros per share, payable in cash or shares, identical to that of last year

Full consolidation of Vivendi Group from April 26, 2017

The financial statements for the first half of 2017 include four months of the Group's share of Vivendi's earnings as an equity affiliate and two months of Vivendi's earnings under full consolidation since April 26, 2017 ([1]).

Sale to Vivendi of the Bolloré Group's stake in Havas for 2,317 million euros

The Bolloré Group sold its 59.2% stake in Havas on July 3, 2017 for 9.25 euros per share, or a total of 2,317 million euros. Taking into account the dividend of 0.18 euros received in June 2017, the sale represents a total value of 2,362 million euros.

In accordance with the regulations, Vivendi plans to file a simplified tender offer for Havas's remaining share capital, again at 9.25 euros per share, without aiming to achieve a delisting of the Havas share.

First half 2017 Results

The Board of Directors of Bolloré, meeting on September 1, 2017, approved the financial statements for the first half of 2017.

Turnover was up 42% compared with the first half of 2016 (+5% at constant scope and exchange rates):

At constant scope and exchange rates, turnover for the first half of 2017 was up 5%. This trend resulted from 4% growth in the transportation and logistics business, driven by higher volumes, and an 11% increase in the oil logistics business as a result of higher prices for petroleum products. It also includes a 4% increase in the communication business, attributable to Vivendi (+8%), and a slight increase in the electricity storage and solutions business (+1%).

On an unadjusted basis, it was up 42% due to changes in the scope of consolidation, which totaled 1,793 million euros, mainly attributable to the full consolidation of Vivendi (1,775 million euros). Currency fluctuations had a negative impact of 23 million euros on the Group's first-half 2017 turnover.

The Group's operating income amounted to 443 million euros, an increase of 45% compared with the first half of 2016, taking into account:

a 3% decline in the operating income of transport and logistics, which incorporates:

an improvement in the results of port terminals (albeit penalized by Nigeria, Congo and Gabon) and logistics in Africa,

a decline in the results of rail operations in Africa and freight forwarding in France and China, penalized by certain contracts signed in 2016 in a context of strong freight rates;

a sharp decline in the oil logistics business, which was impacted by negative stock effects and lower volumes in unfavorable weather conditions compared with 2016;

in the communication segment, the inclusion of 202 million euros of Vivendi's operating income([2]) (of which 189 million euros fully consolidated over two months) offset by the decline in Havas's profit and loss due to uncertainties in the global advertising market;

the limited increase in expenses on electricity storage (batteries and electric vehicles) despite the development of new car-sharing operations.

Net income, Group share in the first half 2017: 333 million euros, -3%

Financial income stood at 178 million euros, compared with 225 million euros in the first half of 2016. As Vivendi is now fully consolidated, dividends received in 2017 (79 million euros) are no longer recognized in the income statement (325 million euros in 2016). However, financial income includes a capital gain of 232 million euros resulting from the fair value adjustment of Vivendi shares as part of the shift to full consolidation

The share in the net income of non-operating companies accounted for using the equity method totaled 46 million euros, compared with a loss of 4 million euros in the first half of 2016, benefiting from the improvement in the results of Mediobanca and Socfin.

Given these items and after taking into consideration 161 million euros in taxes (including 56 million euros corresponding to taxes of Vivendi), consolidated net income totaled 505 million euros, compared with 409 million euros in the first half of 2016. Net income, Group share amounted to 333 million euros, compared with 342 million euros in the first half of 2016, a decline of 3% in the absence of a dividend from Vivendi following its consolidation.

Net debt amounted to 3,981 million euros after taking into account Vivendi's net cash position of 662 million euros.

Shareholders' equity amounted to 31,146 million euros, an increase of 20,865 million euros, of which 19,927 million euros from the full consolidation of Vivendi.

The ratio of net debt to shareholders' equity was 13%, compared to 41% at end-2016.

The market value of the listed equity portfolio was 7,292 million euros at June 30, 2017, including 1,011 million euros for the Bolloré portfolio (Mediobanca, Socfin Group, etc.) and 6,281 million euros for the Vivendi portfolio (Telecom Italia, Ubisoft, Mediaset, Telefonica, Fnac), compared with 4,553 million euros at December 31, 2016.

The Group's liquidity([3]) was up, with an undrawn available amount of more than 3.1 billion euros at the end of July 2017, compared with 1.8 billion euros at the end of 2016.

Interim dividend: 0.02 euros per share

The Board of Directors of Bolloré has decided to pay an interim dividend of 0.02 euros per share, the same as last year, payable in cash or in shares.

The ex-dividend date will be September 8, 2017 and payment or delivery of shares will be made on October 5, 2017.

The subscription price for the option of dividend payment in shares is 3.49 euros; the subscription period will run from September 8 to September 26, 2017. The shares issued as a result shall carry dividend rights as of January 1, 2018.

Other subsequent events:

Blue Solutions: finalization of Bolloré's simplified tender offer on Blue Solutions in July: acquisition of 7.6% of Blue Solutions for 37.3 million euros.

Gaumont: sale of the stake in Gaumont for 31 million euros in July 2017, as part of the public buy-out offer launched by the company.

Kribi: signing of the concession contract for the new Kribi container terminal in Cameroon on July 25, 2017. The consortium comprising Bolloré Transport & Logistics, CMA CGM and Chinese group CHEC has been entrusted with the financing and operation of the Kribi container terminal for 25 years. The terminal will be managed as part of a Public-Private Partnership. With a 350-meter quay and a depth of 16 meters, the Kribi terminal can accommodate vessels with a capacity of 8,000 TEU. In Phase 2, the Kribi container terminal will be able to process 11,000 TEU vessels. It will boast a 715-meter quay, and will have the capacity to process 1.3 million TEUs.

Partial offer for the assets of Necotrans: approval by the Paris Commercial Court of the offer of the consortium of which Bolloré Group is a member. This will notably result in:

- the takeover of the French freight forwarding business;

- the acquisition of certain oilfield activitiesin Africa;

- the acquisition of the Brazzaville and Lomé (conventional) terminals;

- the acquisition of Necotrans's non-controlling interests in terminals operated by the Group (Cameroon, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Benin).

Sitarail: signing of an agreement with the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso governments on a program to upgrade the railroad link between Abidjan (Republic of Côte d'Ivoire) and Kaya (Burkina Faso).

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Consolidated key figures for Bolloré

(in millions of euros)

1st half 2017

Bolloré

Vivendi FC

1st half 2016

Variation

Turnover

7,056

5,147

1,909

4,953

42%

EBITDA(1)

754

447

307

487

55%

Amortization and provisions

(311)

(206)

(105)

(182)

71%

Operating income (1)

443

254

189

305

45%

Financial income

178

178

225

(21%)

Share in net income from non-operating companies

accounted for using the equity method

46

46

(4)

-

Taxes

(161)

(106)

(56)

(117)

-

Net income

505

372

133

409

23%

Group share of Net income

333

313

20

342

(3%)

Non-controlling

172

59

113

67

-

Earnings per share(2)

0.11

0.12

(3%)

Net cash from operating activities

459

431

29

Net industrial investments

(451)

(315)

(136)

Net financial investments

(70)

(57)

(13)

June 30, 2017

Bolloré

Vivendi FC

December 31, 2016

Variation (€ million)

Shareholders' equity

31,146

11,219

19,927

10,281

20,865

of which Group share

9,827

8,915

912

Net debt

3,981

4,643

(662)

4,259

(278)

Gearing ratio

13%

41%

-

Market value of portfolio of listed securities(3)

7,292

1,011

6,281

4,553

2,739

Liquidity - Undrawn amount available(4)

3,101 (5)

(1,800)

(1) including income from operating companies accounted for using the equity method in the amount of 38 million euros at June 30, 2017

(2) excluding treasury shares

(3) taking into account the value of Vivendi call options at December 31, 2016

(4) excluding Havas and excluding Vivendi

(5) at the end of July 2017

Change in turnover by business in the first half

(in millions of euros)

1st half

1st half

1st half

Reported growth

Organic growth

2017

2016(1)

2016

-

-

Transport and Logistics

2,802

2,699

2,723

2.9%

3.8%

Oil logistics

1,064

960

959

11.0%

10.8%

Communication (Vivendi, Havas, Media, Telecoms)

3,030

2,902

1,111

172.8%

4.4%

Electricity Storage and Solutions

149

148

148

0.7%

0.6%

Others (Agricultural Assets, Holding Companies)

12

13

13

(11.8%)

(11.9%)

Total turnover Bolloré Group

7,056

6,723

4,953

42.5%

5.0%

(1) at constant scope and exchange rates

All amounts are expressed in millions of euros and rounded to the nearest decimal.

As a result, the sum of the rounded amounts may differ slightly from the reported total.

Change in turnover per quarter

(in millions of euros)

1st quarter

2nd quarter

2017

2016(1)

2016

2017

2016(1)

2016

Transport and Logistics

1,387

1,336

1,352

1,415

1,363

1,371

Oil logistics

584

464

463

479

496

496

Communication (Vivendi, Havas, Media, Telecoms)

531

529

516

2,499

2,373

594

Electricity Storage and Solutions

73

69

69

76

79

79

Others (Agricultural Assets, Holding Companies)

6

7

7

5

6

6

Total turnover Bolloré Group

2,581

2,405

2,407

4,475

4,317

2,546

(1) at constant scope and exchange rates

All amounts are expressed in millions of euros and rounded to the nearest decimal.

As a result, the sum of the rounded amounts may differ slightly from the reported total.

Operating income by activity

(in millions of euros)

1st half 2017

1st half 2016

Variation

Transportation & Logistics(1)

246

255

(3%)

Oil logistics

10

25

(62%)

Communication (Vivendi, Havas, Media, Telecoms)

280

119

135%

Electricity Storage and Solutions

(79)

(77)

-

Other (Agricultural Assets, Holding Companies)(1)

(14)

(17)

-

Total operating income Bolloré Group

443

305

45%

Before trademark fees

Full consolidation of Vivendi Group from April 26, 2017

Following Vivendi Group's General Meeting of April 25, 2017, the Bolloré Group reviewed the control it exercises over Vivendi in accordance with the provisions of IFRS 10 - Consolidated FinancialStatements.

An in-depth review of the rights held by the Group and particular dynamic of Vivendi General Meetings show that the Group holds close to half the votes, with the remaining shareholdings being highly fragmented.

Following an analysis of other facts and circumstances indicating the existence of control (ability to control key activities and influence the returns generated by Vivendi), the Bolloré Group concluded that the number and significance of the factors identified pointed to a situation of control and, as a result, fully consolidated its investment in Vivendi from April 26, 2017 in accordance with IFRS 3.

A detailed presentation of the financial statements is available online at www.bollore.com.

The procedures for a limited review of the half-year financial statements have been carried out. The limited review report will be issued after reviewing the half-year financial report.